National Republican., 1887-10-05
England and the sandwich Islands.


The situation IN the Sandwich Islands
should commend the earnest attention OF
the administration. The American people
will never consent that avariclous and all
grasping England shall put the paw of the
lion on these gems set in the western ocean
to adorn the shores OF the American cont
nent.
And yet the signs Of the times are very
omnous Of an effort on the part Of the
English government to get claim under
which 1t may set up a reason for seizlng tn
islands. The NATIONAL REPUBLICAN OF
Sept. contained the following:
The four principal officials of the Hawaiian
Islands are Green, prims minister AID in
charge Of finances; Brown, secretary OF fIreig
affairs; Ashford attorney general, and Thu {.
ton, secretary Of the interior. Green is a
Orungeman from Belfast Brown and AshfDr'
are Englshmen and Tnursou Is the son Of a.
American father and native woman.
These three Epgl>hmon AMI one hllf-breei
controlled the affairs Of the so called revOlu.
tion. Col. Ashford, the brother of the attorne,
general, commanded the military forces theu
and commands them now. SO we find fon
Erglshmen at the head of aud controlling the
affairs of the islands.
But this is not all. Queen Kapiolani has jig
returned home from London, here che nego
tiated a loan of 100000 with the Lon ton
banking house OF Skinner Mathiesou Il Ho1-
nuug. This man HnnnuuG has been the Hl-
waiian charge daifaires in London for year
and is now in Australia on his way from 10 10
lulu, where he has concluded an agreement
with the English rulers of the islands, the IT.
ture OF which can easily be guessed at from
the fact that he telegraphed asking that All
| English feet be dispatched to protect the Eng.
lish bondholders, when in fact the first Install.
ment Of interest on the bonds was retained out
of the money loaned, and the second has not
| yet fallen due.
The election for ''noblesn and "repre-
sentatives" OF the new governing body
under the constitution forced by thess
Englishmen took place on the 18th Of Sep.
tember. While there is as yet no report
from the elections, as the Honolulu steamer
| does not leave until the 27th, 1t is certaia
that about three-Gfths of both these bodies
will be Englishmen, missionaries, led by
the troublesome Mr., Waterhouse, one fifth
| Americans, and the remainder, with the
exception Of one Chinese, Ah.Fong, one
Portuguese, Senor Z. Cunha, will be Ger
mans and Hawaiians.
In the meantime Mai. Woodhouse, the
| British commissioner, who succeeded Mr..
Green, the present prime minister, with the
Englishman Col. Ash ord, commander of
| ~" unonlrin Pinao unInnta4rs tho ~~i-
armed force OF any consideration, absolutely
control affairs
The State Department is surely aware OF
the condition Of affairs In the Sandwich
Islands. The king is demoralized, timii,
and helpless. The Americans can do moth
ing, and 1t is perfectly evident that white
England may discaim, as 1t always does
an organized effort is now beint made to
secure the control of the islands.
Determined action now may prevent
serious trouble hereafter. The admins
tration that permits England or any other
nation to obtain control of the Sandwich
Islands will be responsible for great war.
The American people will not submit to see
those islands, geographically commanding
the entire Pacific coast of North America,
dominated by any European nation.
Ninety per cent. of the trade OF the
islands, not very great now, II is true, both
imports and exports, is with the Uuite
States. Yet this is but small part OF thelI
importance. They are 80 situated that they
not only command the North American
coast, but to a great extent the trade oil
the Pacific ocean. Germany has seized
Samoa, the next most important group OF
the Pacific islands, perhaps under an agree
ment that England's occupation Of the
Sandwich Islands will not be opposed.
VIII the United States government 81,
still while this bargain is being consum'
mated and afterward find themselves face
to face with accomplished facts with the
alternative to recognize and accept then
or to fight
One Of the circumstances that adds to
the interest Of the situation and indicates
that King KaIakaua may have some hopes,
is that Mr.. r. w. Wilcox, one Of the young
Sandwich Islanders carried some years age
to Italy by Mr.. G. G. Moreno, to be there
educated, and who has since been All oillcoi
of the Italian army, has been ordered home
lie is native and loyal to the king, and
his ability as soldier, with his superior
education, may render him able to effect
something.